Parallel Mastery
Serena and Scarlet, her Braxien, emerged from Reflection Cave just after noon. They'd reached the outskirts of Shalour City when a blonde woman and a Lucario coming from the city on roller blades skated past them. Serena had walked a few more steps when the skaters turned around and started circling her.
"Excuse me?" asked Serena. "Excused" replied the skater.
"Can I help you?" The skater completed her lap and stopped in front of Serena. In those skates she was just tall enough to make Serena look up.
"Maybe you can, princess."Serena felt an uncharacteristic urge to slap her. "Why don't we skip to what it is you want. Will a pokemon battle get rid of you?"
At the word battle the skater perked up, and both she and her Lucario took a few steps backwards. "A battle, you say? The great Lady K accepts your challenge!" said the skater, bowing with a dramatic flourish. Even before she fully straightened, her Lucario dashed forwards and punted Scarlet into the air.
Serena knew she'd lost. Her Braxien wasn't hurt badly yet, but she would be defenseless against Lucario's next attack. Serena recalled her before she hit the ground. Lucario returned to his master's side, the pair of them looking awfully smug for cheaters.
"Atta boy" said K as she scratched Lucario behind the ears. "You done already princess?"
"Scarlet was my last in fighting shape."
K grinned. "That means we won. And you owe me a prize, dont'cha?"
"We didn't agree to any stakes."
K wagged her finger at Serena. "Nuh uh. You challenged me, said I had to go away if you won. That's a stake. I won, and now you gotta pay up. League rules."
Technically speaking, she was right. Would the league ever enforce such a wager? Probably not. Still, she had a pokemon in fighting shape and Serena didn't. Serena took her sunglasses from her hat and threw them to K. The skater put them on and batted her eyelashes at Serena.
"How do I look?" They were very fashionable and expensive sunglasses, but clashed dreadfully with her sportswear ensemble. "Lovely" answered Serena dryly.
K turned to her Lucario who shook his head. K threw the sunglasses back to Serena. "Sorry princess, that won't cut it. But since yer headin' to Shalour anyway, there is one thing you could do for me."
One hour and one visit to the Pokemon Center later, Serena and K, Scarlet and Lucario stood in front of the Shalour City gym.
"And that's when my old man decided all his gym battles had to be two on two."
"Why don't you just catch another pokemon?"
K shook her head. "Nope! Me 'n Luc against the world come hell or high water. Wouldn't have it any other way."
"Except for you needing to borrow Scarlet to win your father's badge."
"Well yeah, but only cuz pops is being a jerk about it."
Serena handed her Scarlet's pokeball. "I imagine it will be difficult for you, but please do try to take care of her."
"Lady K's promise!"
She then hesitated, half-turned to the gym door before twisting back to Serena. "You could come with us. If you want. To make sure nothing happens to your pokemon, right?"
"No, thank you. I did not come to Shalour to witness your familial dispute. You have promised Scarlet will be treated well, and I am sure that will come to pass."
Hints of red crept into the skaters cheeks. "As you wish princess." K turned to the pokemon. "Alright you two, ready to ruin my old man's day?"
Twenty two minutes and forty one seconds later, they strolled out of the gym. Three smiles testified to the outcome of their battle.
K tossed Scarlet's pokeball to Serena. "You didn't have to wait out here princess. Did ya wanna see me again that badly?"
"I wanted to ensure that my pokemon was returned to me as quickly as possible. Nothing more" scoffed Serena.
One of the women started towards the pokemon center and the other followed. Serena wasn't sure if she was the leader or the follower. "Well?"
"Well what?"
"What do you think I mean? Did this battle lead your father to reconsider his view of you and the world? Have the two of you reconciled your every difference of opinion and can live together as family after a decade of estrangement?"
"I don't remember any estrangement" said K with a chuckle, "But nah, nothing really changed. But I got his badge and don't have to stick around here anymore."
"So you're going to leave Shalour?"
"Yeah, just one last thing to do tonight and we're gone. Gonna keep taking on gyms with Luc. This was our fourth badge, so we've got a lot to do."
Idle chatter between the two of them continued until they reached the pokemon center. Scarlet and Luc returned to their balls and were turned over to the nurse. When Serena stepped away from the counter, K wrapped her in a fierce hug.
"Are you going to slap me after I let go of you?" whispered K.
"Next time" whispered Serena back.
"If you said yes I'd never let go"
"I know. That's why I said next time."
K let her go. No slap, as promised. "Good luck with whatever you're doing in Shalour. I didn't tell my dad you're the one that lent me Scarlet, but they'll recognize her. Just blame me if they give you any trouble over it."
"I was going to do so anyway, Lady K, but thank you for your permission."
K left Serena with one last smile before she exited the pokecenter.
At 23:02 Serena began her vigil in front of the Tower of Mastery, the night's chill demanding her most elegant coat and slacks. Luc had told Scarlet who communicated to Serena that K planned to be there before 23:00, but usually ran a little late. Ten minutes later K and Luc skated in, a satchel slung over the woman's shoulder. K looked shocked to see her.
"Princess?! What're you doing here?"
"Scarlet thought you might come here at this time, and I would be a terrible trainer if I did not verify her prognostication. The true question, I think, is why are you here?"
K slumped her shoulders in defeat."Might as well tell ya since yer here anyway. Two of us 'r gonna climb the tower and tag it." K opened her pack and showed Serena the three bottles of spraypaint inside.
"But isn't the tower locked at night?"
"Yeah. We're climbing the outside."
Serena gasped. "The outside of the tower? Free-handed? In the dark? While wearing in-line skates? That's incredibly dangerous!"
"Duh. That's what makes it a statement. Doesn't mean a thing if its safe and easy to do, does it?" K stepped closer to Serena, their faces almost touching. "If you're that worried about me, how about a kiss for good luck?"
This time, Serena slapped her. If anything it only encouraged her. K retaliated by swooping down to peck Serena on the cheek before dashing towards the tower with Lucario. "If you really hated it you would'a hit me harder!" she shouted over her shoulder.
Damn her (she was right).
When they reached the base of the tower, Scarlet emerged from her ball of her own accord.
Their parkour up the tower was impressive, even ignoring that they were both wearing skates. About 14 meters up K found her spot. Hooked her feet into the railing and hanging upside down graffiti'd 'Lady K' in neon orange, green, and pink, followed by another character. K looked at them and did a double-take at seeing Scarlet out of her ball. The Braxien waved her tail carrying her twig. K flashed her a thumbs-up and made one last mark. Serena finally realized the last figure was a very crude rendition of Scarlet and Luc holding hands. Satisfied, K somehow climbed back up to the walkway and began her descent with Luc.
Ten meters off the ground, it happened. K's hand slipped, her skates spun, and she started to fall head-first. Lucario dove for her, but Scarlet was faster. Almost immediately, K was enveloped in a purple nimbus as Scarlet used her telekinesis to slow her fall. She landed on her back soft as a feather, and looked appropriately sheepish as she approached Serena and her savior.
The walk from the Tower of Mastery to the pokecenter took 35 minutes. Serena needed time to berate K for how stupidly reckless she was. It did not matter that Luc could have saved her.
Serena had finished by the time they reached the pokecenter. K stopped before the entrance. "This is where we part for good, princess."
"Are you truly in such a hurry to leave Shalour City, Lady K?"
"No time like the present, and I don't wanna be home in the morning when gramps sees what we did to his stupid tower."
"No! You nearly killed yourself once tonight already, and I will not allow you to make a second attempt. If you need a place to sleep, you can use my room in the pokemon center."
Serena grabbed K by the hand and pulled her into the pokecenter over her sputtered protests. Luc seemed to feel differently than his trainer; he was the first one inside. After leaving their pokmeon with the nurse, Serena led K to her rented one bed room on the second floor. They were both due for a shower, but that could wait.
"K, take off your skates and go to bed."
"But there's only one bed."
Serena pulled the girl into a mouth-to-mouth kiss, subjecting her to the proper use of the tongue. "Just this once, be a good girl and do as you are told."
Half-dazed, the skater complied.
Skateless but fully clothed, she flopped onto the bed, then sat up to see Serena stripped down to her socks and underwear. Serena pounced, pushing the quivering Lady K back down.
"Fair warning: I bite."